Worldes Bliss (p.6) Ballade By Richard I (p.13) Agincourt Song (p.20) The Queene's Command | instrumental (p.23) The Hunt is Up (p.29) O Death, Rock Her Asleep (p.32) Here's A Health Unto His Majesty (p.37) Ayre: How the Blushful Morn (p.48) The Vicar of Bray (p.54-55) Ballad to an Absent Friend (p.69) God Save the Queen | instrumental (p.72)
Worldes Bliss
This 13th Century, Middle-English song, Worldes blis, presents a message of Medieval hopelessness.
Lyrics: 000000000000000000000000000
Worldes bliss lasteth no throw;
it wilts and wends away anon.
The longer that I it know,
the less I find price therein;
For all it is mingled with care,
With sorrow and with evil fare,
and at the last poor and bare
it let man ween it gaineth agony.
All the bliss thus here and there
Belongeth at the end weeping and moaning.
oo
Old English Translation 0000000000000000000000000000
Worldes blis ne last no throwe;
it went and wit awey anon.
The langer that ich hit iknowe,
the lass ich finde pris tharon;
for al it is imeind mid care,
mid serwen and mid evel fare,
and atte laste povre and bare
it lat man, wan it ginth agon.
Al the blis this heer and thare
bilucth at ende weep and mon.
[[#track4]]English translation:
Worldly bliss lasts but a moment;
it is here then it disappears.
The longer I experience it,
the less value I find in it.
For it is mingled with cares,
with sorrows, and with failures;
and in the end it leaves man poor and naked
when it departs.
All the bliss here and there
amounts, in the end, to weeping and moaning.
Ballade By Richard I
No one will tell me the cause of my sorrow Why they have made me a prisoner here. Wherefore with dolour I now make my moan; Friends had I many but help have I none. Shameful it is that they leave me to ransom, To languish here two winters long.
00000000000000000000000000000
Ja nus hons pris ne dira sa raison Adroitement, se dolantement non; Mais par effort puet il faire chançon. Mout ai amis, mais povre sont li don; Honte i avront se por ma reançon — Sui ça deus yvers pris.
Ce sevent bien mi home et mi baron– Ynglois, Normant, Poitevin et Gascon– Que je n'ai nul si povre compaignon Que je lessaisse por avoir en prison; Je nou di mie por nule retraçon, —Mais encor sui [je] pris.
Video featuring Owen Phyfe
This haunting and plaintive ballad has long been attributed to Richard I of England. It was written when King Richard was imprisoned and held for ransom when he was returning from the Third Crusade. More About this song
Agincourt Song
Lyrics: 000000000000000000000000000000000 Our King went forth to Normandy, With grace and might of chivalry; The God for him wrought marv’lously, Where-fore England may call and cry:
Deo gratias: Deo gratias Anglia redde pro Victoria.
0 0000000000000000000000000000000 The gracious God now save our King, His people and all his well willing: Give him good life and good ending, That we with mirth may safely sing.
Deo gratias: Deo gratias Anglia Redde pro Victoria.
Lyrics: 00000000000000000000000000000000000
The hunt is up! the hunt is up
And it is well-nigh day;
And Harry our king is gone hunting
To bring his deer to bay.
The east is bright with morning light,
And darkness it is fled,
And the merry horn wakes up the morn
To leave his idle bed.
The horses snort to be at the sport
The dogs are running free
The woods rejoice at the merry noise
Of hey tantara tee ree!
00 0000000000000000000000000000000
The sun is glad to see us clad
All in our lusty green,
And smiles in the sky as he riseth high
To see and to be seen.
Awake all men, I say [[#|again]]
Be merry as you may;
For Harry our King is gone hunting
To bring his deer to bay.
O Death, Rock Her Asleep
Lyrics: 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
O Death, O Death rock her asleep
Bring her to quiet rest,
Let pass her weary guiltless life
Out of her careful breath.
Toll on thou passing bells,
Ring out her doeful knell,
Let thy sound her death tell.
Death doth draw nigh;
There is no remedy, for she must die.
Here's A Health Unto His Majesty
*lyrics and video do not match but tune similar
Lyrics:
Here's a health unto his Majesty,
With a fa la la la la la la,
Confusion to his enemies,
With a fa la la la la la la, 00000000000000000000000000000000
And he that will not drink his health,
I wish him neither wit nor wealth,
Nor yet a rope to hang himself,
With a fa la la la la la la la la la
With a fa la la la la la la.
0
All Cavaliers will please combine,
With a fa la la la la la la,
To drink this loyal toast of mine,
With a fa la la la la la la.
And for the man who answers No,
I only wish that he may go
With Roundhead rogues to Jericho,
With a fa la la la la la la la la la
With a fa la la la la la la.
Ayre
Lyrics:
Mark how the blushful morn in vain
Courts the amorous marigold
With sighing blush and weeping rain,
Yet she refuses to unfold.
But when the planet of the day
Approacheth with his pow'rful ray,
Then she spreads, then she receives
His warmer beams into her virgin leaves.
Lyrics: 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
In good King Charles' golden days, when loyalty no harm meant,
A zealous high churchman was I, and so I gained preferment.
To teach my flock, I never missed Kings are by God appointed
And damned be he who dare resist or touch the Lord's annointed.
And this be law, I shall maintain Until my dying day, sir That whatsoever king may reign, Still I'll be the Vicar of Bray, sir.
When royal James usurped the throne, and popery came in fashion,
The penal laws I hooted down, and read the Declaration.
The Church of Rome, I found, did fit Full well my constitution
And I had been a Jesuit, but for the Revolution.
When William was our King declared, to ease the nation's grievance,
With this new wind about I steered, and swore to him allegiance.
Old principles I did revoke Set conscience at a distance,
Passive obedience was a joke, a jest was non-resistance.
When Royal Anne became our queen, the Church of England's glory,
Another face of things was seen, and I became a Tory.
Occasional conformists base I blamed their moderation;
And thought the Church in danger was from such prevarication.
When George in pudding time came o'er, and moderate men looked big, sir
My principles I changed once more, and I became a Whig, sir.
And thus preferment I procured From our new Faith's Defender,
And almost every day abjured the Pope and the Pretender.
The illustrious house of Hanover and Protestant succession
To these I do allegiance swear --- while they can hold possession.
For in my faith and loyalty I never more will falter,
And George my lawful king shall be --- until the times do alter.
Ballad to an Absent Friend
Hark a whisper o'er the fountain:
Hark a murmur o'er the plain:
Hark a voice from vale and mountain:
Surely 'tis the zephyr's strain.
'Tis the breath of evening stealing
Over field and over grove,
Breathing sounds of gentlest feeling,
Sounds of transport, sounds of love,
Sounds of transport, sounds of love.
Music List
Worldes Bliss (p.6)Ballade By Richard I (p.13)
Agincourt Song (p.20)
The Queene's Command | instrumental (p.23)
The Hunt is Up (p.29)
O Death, Rock Her Asleep (p.32)
Here's A Health Unto His Majesty (p.37)
Ayre: How the Blushful Morn (p.48)
The Vicar of Bray (p.54-55)
Ballad to an Absent Friend (p.69)
God Save the Queen | instrumental (p.72)
Worldes Bliss
This 13th Century, Middle-English song, Worldes blis, presents a message of Medieval hopelessness.000000000000000000000000000
Worldes bliss lasteth no throw;
it wilts and wends away anon.
The longer that I it know,
the less I find price therein;
For all it is mingled with care,
With sorrow and with evil fare,
and at the last poor and bare
it let man ween it gaineth agony.
All the bliss thus here and there
Belongeth at the end weeping and moaning.
0000000000000000000000000000
Worldes blis ne last no throwe;
it went and wit awey anon.
The langer that ich hit iknowe,
the lass ich finde pris tharon;
for al it is imeind mid care,
mid serwen and mid evel fare,
and atte laste povre and bare
it lat man, wan it ginth agon.
Al the blis this heer and thare
bilucth at ende weep and mon.
Ballade By Richard I
Why they have made me a prisoner here.
Wherefore with dolour I now make my moan;
Friends had I many but help have I none.
Shameful it is that they leave me to ransom,
To languish here two winters long.
00000000000000000000000000000
Adroitement, se dolantement non;
Mais par effort puet il faire chançon.
Mout ai amis, mais povre sont li don;
Honte i avront se por ma reançon
— Sui ça deus yvers pris.
Ce sevent bien mi home et mi baron–
Ynglois, Normant, Poitevin et Gascon–
Que je n'ai nul si povre compaignon
Que je lessaisse por avoir en prison;
Je nou di mie por nule retraçon,
—Mais encor sui [je] pris.
Video featuring Owen Phyfe
Agincourt Song
000000000000000000000000000000000
Our King went forth to Normandy,
With grace and might of chivalry;
The God for him wrought marv’lously,
Where-fore England may call and cry:
Deo gratias:
Deo gratias Anglia
redde pro Victoria.
0000000000000000000000000000000
The gracious God now save our King,
His people and all his well willing:
Give him good life and good ending,
That we with mirth may safely sing.
Deo gratias:
Deo gratias Anglia
Redde pro Victoria.
Full song
The Hunt is Up
00000000000000000000000000000000000
The hunt is up! the hunt is up
And it is well-nigh day;
And Harry our king is gone hunting
To bring his deer to bay.
The east is bright with morning light,
And darkness it is fled,
And the merry horn wakes up the morn
To leave his idle bed.
The horses snort to be at the sport
The dogs are running free
The woods rejoice at the merry noise
Of hey tantara tee ree!
0000000000000000000000000000000
The sun is glad to see us clad
All in our lusty green,
And smiles in the sky as he riseth high
To see and to be seen.
Awake all men, I say [[#|again]]
Be merry as you may;
For Harry our King is gone hunting
To bring his deer to bay.
O Death, Rock Her Asleep
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
O Death, O Death rock her asleep
Bring her to quiet rest,
Let pass her weary guiltless life
Out of her careful breath.
Toll on thou passing bells,
Ring out her doeful knell,
Let thy sound her death tell.
Death doth draw nigh;
There is no remedy, for she must die.
Here's A Health Unto His Majesty
*lyrics and video do not match but tune similarHere's a health unto his Majesty,
With a fa la la la la la la,
Confusion to his enemies,
With a fa la la la la la la,
00000000000000000000000000000000
And he that will not drink his health,
I wish him neither wit nor wealth,
Nor yet a rope to hang himself,
With a fa la la la la la la la la la
With a fa la la la la la la.
All Cavaliers will please combine,
With a fa la la la la la la,
To drink this loyal toast of mine,
With a fa la la la la la la.
And for the man who answers No,
I only wish that he may go
With Roundhead rogues to Jericho,
With a fa la la la la la la la la la
With a fa la la la la la la.
Ayre
Mark how the blushful morn in vain
Courts the amorous marigold
With sighing blush and weeping rain,
Yet she refuses to unfold.
But when the planet of the day
Approacheth with his pow'rful ray,
Then she spreads, then she receives
His warmer beams into her virgin leaves.
See Downloadable MP3 page for an "easier" version off this song
The Vicar of Bray
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
In good King Charles' golden days, when loyalty no harm meant,
A zealous high churchman was I, and so I gained preferment.
To teach my flock, I never missed Kings are by God appointed
And damned be he who dare resist or touch the Lord's annointed.
And this be law, I shall maintain
Until my dying day, sir
That whatsoever king may reign,
Still I'll be the Vicar of Bray, sir.
When royal James usurped the throne, and popery came in fashion,
The penal laws I hooted down, and read the Declaration.
The Church of Rome, I found, did fit Full well my constitution
And I had been a Jesuit, but for the Revolution.
When William was our King declared, to ease the nation's grievance,
With this new wind about I steered, and swore to him allegiance.
Old principles I did revoke Set conscience at a distance,
Passive obedience was a joke, a jest was non-resistance.
When Royal Anne became our queen, the Church of England's glory,
Another face of things was seen, and I became a Tory.
Occasional conformists base I blamed their moderation;
And thought the Church in danger was from such prevarication.
When George in pudding time came o'er, and moderate men looked big, sir
My principles I changed once more, and I became a Whig, sir.
And thus preferment I procured From our new Faith's Defender,
And almost every day abjured the Pope and the Pretender.
The illustrious house of Hanover and Protestant succession
To these I do allegiance swear --- while they can hold possession.
For in my faith and loyalty I never more will falter,
And George my lawful king shall be --- until the times do alter.
Ballad to an Absent Friend
Hark a whisper o'er the fountain:Hark a murmur o'er the plain:
Hark a voice from vale and mountain:
Surely 'tis the zephyr's strain.
'Tis the breath of evening stealing
Over field and over grove,
Breathing sounds of gentlest feeling,
Sounds of transport, sounds of love,
Sounds of transport, sounds of love.